Estes Park school board gets look at prelim budget

The anticipated revenues for the general fund of the Estes Park School District in the 2014-2015 school year is expected to be $10,428,753.

That's an increase of $186,397 over the current school year's general fund balance of $10,242,356, according to Brian Lund, the school district's business manager.

Lund announced the figures during a presentation of a preliminary budget to the school board on Monday.

Lund said the main reason for the increase was due to $387,000 coming from state equalization, which is directly tied to a drop in property values due to last September's flood. Lund said this was the state's way of backfilling.

Other significant factors impacting the budget for the coming year cited by Lund included:

• The general fund will be supplemented by $1,921,000 in revenue received as a mill levy override to property taxes.

• The district continues to experience declining enrollment which takes advantage of the statutory "averaging" calculations. The budget is based upon Colorado Department of Education estimates of an October student enrollment of 1,077.2 full time equivalent (Kindergarten students are counted at less than 1.0 FTE)

• Amendment 23 requires adjustment of the base amount in the education formula by inflation. At this point the state is estimating a 1.9 percent inflation rate increase.

• Passage of SB09-256 eliminated statutory requirements for specific allocations to the Capital Reserve Fund and to Instructional Supplies.

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• Staff salaries and benefits increased. PERA costs will increase again in January 2015 from 17.45 percent to 18.35 percent for the district. Insurance rates will increase for the next fiscal year. They will come in 24.9 percent higher than fiscal year 2014.

• Utilities will increase.

• The district is anticipating a 2-5 percent increase in fuel costs for all district vehicles.

Lund also explained that he was continuing to revise the 2014 fiscal year budget and the annual transfer of funds to other district funds. Among those transfers included the aquatic center ($90,000), the capital projects fund ($100,000) and the food service fund ($30,000).

In action on Monday night, the board:

• Approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the Estes Park School District Board of Education, the superintendent, and teachers.

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